Tobacco

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Tobacco

Nicotine, the addictive substance in tobacco products, is the most widely abused drug in the nation. Smoking tobacco is the most frequently abused nicotine product. It is the most common cause for lung cancer. Smoking is also the leading cause of cancer of the mouth, throat, bladder, pancreas, and kidney. Smokeless tobacco can cause mouth cancer, tooth loss, and other health problems. Tolerance to nicotine occurs faster than heroin or cocaine.

There are over 4000 chemicals in tobacco. Some of those chemical include benzene (solvent in fuel), formaldehyde (used to preserve dead bodies), ammonia (cleaning products and dry cleaning), acetone (solvent, nail polisher remover), and carbon monoxide (poisonous gas).

Nicotine, the addictive substance in tobacco products, is the most widely abused drug in the nation. Smoking tobacco is the most frequently abused nicotine product. It is the most common cause for lung cancer. Smoking is also the leading cause of cancer of the mouth, throat, bladder, pancreas, and kidney. Smokeless tobacco can cause mouth cancer, tooth loss, and other health problems. Tolerance to nicotine occurs faster than heroin or cocaine.

Percentage of students who smoked a whole cigarette for the first time before age 13 years 2001 – 23.3%, 2003 – 18.8%, 2005 – 16.1%, 2007 – 12.6%, 2009 – 11.3%

Percentage of students who smoked cigarettes on one or more of the past 30 days 2001 -25.2%, 2003 – 19.6%, 2005 – 18.3%, 2007 – 13.6%, ,2009 – 17.0%

Percentage of students who smoked cigarettes on 20 or more of the past 30 days 2001 – 11.3%, 2003 – 8.8%, 2005 – 7.1%, 2007 – 5.0%, 2009 – 6.4%

“In 2008, 28.4 percent of the U.S. population 12 and older used tobacco at least once in the month prior to being interviewed. This figure includes 3.6 million young people age 12 to 17. Young adults aged 18 to 25 reported the highest rate of current use of any tobacco products (44.6 percent) in 2008” (Parents the Anti drug, www.theantidrug.com)